Board approves additional dollars for VGCC corporate campus

Vance County commissioners have approved increasing the allotment to the community college.

Vance-Granville Community College is developing a corporate campus across Poplar Creek Road from the main facility, but they have hit some snags, County Manager Jerry Ayscue said.

Commissioners had budgeted $24,000 in operating costs for the new campus because college officials thought they would be open by Jan. 1, he said. But they have seen higher than anticipated renovation costs, which put them behind schedule.

College officials had a two-fold request of commissioners: Allow them to use the operations funds for capital improvements and to increase their allotment to allow them to bring the new campus online with its energy conservation system. Their total request was nearly $29,500.

Ayscue recommended and commissioners approved using funds originally designated for a debt service payment that, because of the delays in opening the campus, will not occur as soon as originally anticipated and pulling the balance — some $886 — from the contingency fund.

Commissioners also approved vendor guidelines for the Vance County Regional Farmers Market ahead of the April 3 ribbon cutting.

The market — which will be open to producers from Vance, Franklin, Warren and Granville counties as well as Mecklenburg County in Virginia — will run at first from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday but could eventually be expanded. Other vendors may apply as space becomes available.

Vendors will be allowed to sell a variety of wares, including locally raised meat, fruits and vegetables, herbs, flowers, baked goods and preserves.

The board also sent the market’s facilities-use guidelines to the properties committee for further study. They set a proposed license fee for outside groups of $200 for up to four hours or $400 for up to eight hours.

Commissioners also:

• Approved a resolution allowing for a financial agreement with SunTrust to purchase several items, including a cardiac monitor and ambulance;

• Set for surplus some county equipment, including a vehicle used by the Department of Social Services with transmission issues;

• Filled several open county positions, including at the Department of Social Services, economic development and the Vance County Sheriff’s Office.

“We feel it’s in the best interests of Vance County to go ahead and fill them,” Commissioner Gordon Wilder said.

Contact the writer at vshortley@hendersondispatch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @herding_stets.